Own apartment/room for our Helper

[Petrix]

My wife and our newborn child will soon relocate from Hong Kong to Singapore and we will bring our domestic helper with us.

We are having 2 options in mind:

A) a spacious 2 bedroom apartment and a room/apartment close by for our domestic helper.

B) a 3 bedroom apartment for all 4 of us.

We all find it most appropriate with option A in order to enjoy more privacy and the price difference between A and B is very small.
I am working offshore and will be away for 180 days per year and during this time our helper will stay in our apartment.

Is it actually legal to let her stay in her own apartment close by?

[therat]

Option A is out

Under Maid employment law
Foreign domestic workers are required to live with their employing family in Singapore, and the law requires that employers provide adequate accommodation for their maids.

If she stay at her own apartment, she cannot work in your house.
And no one will rent her an apartment or a room legally.

read this
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... ment-rules

[Lisafuller]

Exactly. No one in Singapore lives like the situation described in A, simply because it’s illegal. It’s nice that you want to give her privacy, but the law doesn’t permit such an arrangement.

[Petrix]

Thanks for your reply.
How about renting another apartment in my own name in the same complex. Then she can live there and we can all have the kind of privacy that we really want.
I am European and have not really gotten used to this maid concept but our life cannot work without.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Nope, nope, nope. Doesn't work, different address. (same complex but still a unique different address). I suggest you think about more important things. Like if you really need a domestic in the first place. Else, there are plenty of companies who can supply a local maids, to those with deep pockets, who CAN live in her own home. But you will incur more than double and possibly treble the going rate for the best imported domestic helper who will be there at your disposal 24/7. The potential issue with a local domestic is that they also my have a family with children so you might have issues when 'she' needs to attend to them and has conflict with your schedule. You will also have to pay her CPF as well, but not any maid levies as she will be at least a Singaporean or PR.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Petrix,
I've been here a long time, 1 year shy of 4 decades. I remember back in the 1980's the HDB started building a special flats for 3 generation families (LKY's perfect family). These flats were designed with an additional master bedroom with attached bath AND a separate entrance (e.g., adjoining studio apartment). Sadly, they build less than 400 of those units. How many exist today and if there are any that are rental I have no idea. But here's a link I found describing same. This would be the only way you can do it without breaking any laws. I don't know if there are any condo's with similar arrangements. Maybe our host here could help you with that. https://www.singaporeexpats.com/

Here is the link I mentioned: https://dollarsandsense.sg/5-types-hdb- ... singapore/ See #2

[Petrix]

Petrix,
I've been here a long time, 1 year shy of 4 decades. I remember back in the 1980's the HDB started building a special flats for 3 generation families (LKY's perfect family). These flats were designed with an additional master bedroom with attached bath AND a separate entrance (e.g., adjoining studio apartment). Sadly, they build less than 400 of those units. How many exist today and if there are any that are rental I have no idea. But here's a link I found describing same. This would be the only way you can do it without breaking any laws. I don't know if there are any condo's with similar arrangements. Maybe our host here could help you with that. https://www.singaporeexpats.com/

Here is the link I mentioned: https://dollarsandsense.sg/5-types-hdb- ... singapore/ See #2

Thank you for the links.
Seems like we have to find a 3 bdr. apartment. Our budget is limited and we cannot afford a very big apartment in those locations we were having in mind. I hope we will have luck in finding something appropriate

[therat]

other than SMS mention, there is another type of unit call dual-key condo
1 unit - has 2 different house.
1 house can be 2/3/4 room. Another house normally is studio unit which has it own kitchen, toilet.

This is also quite limited as it is a "loophole" to avoid ABSD and government stop developer to build this.

This might meet your need - helper is nearby aka "next door" and both party has their own privacy.
Further more it under same address.

You can read this to understand what is dual-kay mean and it has a list of condo that has dual-key design
https://www...com.sg/propert ... rice-31956

[BBCDoc]

Petrix,
I've been here a long time, 1 year shy of 4 decades. I remember back in the 1980's the HDB started building a special flats for 3 generation families (LKY's perfect family). These flats were designed with an additional master bedroom with attached bath AND a separate entrance (e.g., adjoining studio apartment). Sadly, they build less than 400 of those units. How many exist today and if there are any that are rental I have no idea. But here's a link I found describing same. This would be the only way you can do it without breaking any laws. I don't know if there are any condo's with similar arrangements. Maybe our host here could help you with that. https://www.singaporeexpats.com/

Here is the link I mentioned: https://dollarsandsense.sg/5-types-hdb- ... singapore/ See #2

Thank you for the links.
Seems like we have to find a 3 bdr. apartment. Our budget is limited and we cannot afford a very big apartment in those locations we were having in mind. I hope we will have luck in finding something appropriate

Would have thought a 3BR apt would be far cheaper than renting 2x apartments…

Also, I wouldn’t want to deal with 2 separate landlords…


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[abbby]

therat has a good suggestion to get a dual key unit which is a good idea..there are some in the suburb areas with dual key units. One main door that leads to another 2 main door inside the main door.

While I also feel A option does not work cos you need to live with the helper and both you and helper needs the same address.

[sp786]

You could find a 2 bedroom condo with a room called utility or maid room which is relatively small with attached bathroom.